GARCH option pricing models and the variance risk premium

In this paper, we modify Duan’s (1995) local risk-neutral valuation relationship (mLRNVR) for the GARCH option-pricing models. In our mLRNVR, the conditional variances under two measures are designed to be different and the variance process is more persistent in the risk-neutral measure than in the physical one, so that one is able to capture the variance risk premium. Empirical estimation exercises show that the GARCH option-pricing models under our mLRNVR are able to price the SPX one-month variance swap rate, i.e., the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) accurately. Our research suggests that one should use our mLRNVR when pricing options with GARCH models.